The present invention relates to the formation of a continuous polycrystalline silicon layer on a metal substrate, particularly for solar cell application.
Epitaxial crystal layers of germanium or silicon have been electrodeposited onto a single crystal substrate formed of germanium or silicon as set forth in my U.S. Pat. No. 3,983,012. The substrate forms the cathode of an electrolytic cell containing a molten fluoride electrolytic salt bath including a salt source of silicon plating ion. The foregoing patent stresses the importance of maintaining the bath in an essentially oxygen-free environment and discloses an advantageous way for accomplishing this objective.